Russian President Vladimir Putin has brushed away any interest in Greenland, while acknowledging in the same breath that the arctic country has always been treated by Denmark “as a colony”.
Putin’s comments on Greenland acquire greater significance in the backdrop of US President Donald Trump’s ambitious demand to acquire the country, citing security reasons and apprehensions that China and Pakistan may also have designs on it.
“What happens to Greenland is none of our business,” Putin said in his televised remarks at the national Security Council meeting late on Wednesday night.
“Incidentally, Denmark has always treated Greenland as a colony and has been quite harsh, if not cruel, towards it. But that’s a different matter entirely, and I doubt anyone’s interested in it right now,” he said.
“It certainly doesn’t concern us. I think they’ll sort it out among themselves,” Putin added, and recalled that in 1917, Denmark had sold the Virgin Islands to the United States, while in 1867, Russia had sold Alaska to the United States for USD 7.2 million.
In another major development, Putin also expressed interest in joining Trump’s “Peace Council” following the US President’s invitation and announced a donation of USD 1 billion to the council from frozen Russian assets. However, Putin said more time would be needed to study the offer and consult Russia’s strategic partners.
Also Read: France rejects Trump’s invite to join Gaza ‘Board of Peace’
The new international body is aimed at addressing global conflicts, including the Israeli-Palestinian issue.
Ahead of talks with Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, on Thursday, Putin also expressed readiness to part with the frozen Russian assets for rebuilding war-torn Ukraine after a peace deal struck between the two former Soviet republics.
American envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to meet with Putin on a possible Ukrainian solution on Thursday.
Russia could provide USD 1 billion, “right now, even before we decide whether we’ll take part... in the work of the Board of Peace,” the Russian president said, citing Moscow’s “special relations with the people of Palestine”.
“Incidentally, the remaining funds from our frozen assets in the US could be used to rebuild territories damaged by the fighting after a peace treaty is concluded between Russia and Ukraine. We are also discussing this possibility with representatives of the US administration,” Putin said.
He stated that the money could be taken “from the Russian assets frozen by the previous [US] administration,” and noted how Moscow “has always supported and continues to support any efforts aimed at strengthening international stability.”
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